Aims: This study was aimed at the evaluation of heavy metals in the drinking water of the rural area of Divandarreh city and the assessment of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks. Materials and Methods: In the present work, concentration of four heavy metals in drinking water resource in the rural area of Divandarreh County were evaluated. For these aim, the numbers of 29 samples were collected from rural drinking water resources, and the concentration of heavy metals was determined. In addition, carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risk assessment was conducted in children and adults as target groups. Results: The level of Cd was higher than the WHO drinking water Standard. The average amount of target hazard quotient for heavy metals through ingestion in children and adults were in the order of Cd > Cr > Pb > Ni. The total hazard quotient hazard quotients (HQ ing + HQ derm) in children group was higher than the limit set by the USEPA (hazard index = 1.68), indicating probable noncarcinogenic risk to this group through consumption of water. Conclusion: Based on the obtained data, the carcinogenic risk for all of the heavy metals were higher than the permissible standard. The obtained data can be useful for managers and the water and wastewater department regarding the improvement of drinking water quality.

Aims: Over 5.5 trillion cigarettes are produced annually. Based on the observations, 76% of these consumed cigarettes are littered in public areas instead of discarding in suitable bins. Rainwater drain system carries the water and other wastes such as cigarette butts from the ground and transfers them to the bigger aquatic media without any treatment in which hundreds of chemicals leach into animal's habitats and our water supply origin. The key purpose of this article was to measure the concentration of Arsenic (As) released into water from cigarette butts and to compare their levels among the different brands. Materials and Methods: Ten cigarette butts (comprising cigarette filter and remaining tobacco) of five cigarette brands named Winston, Bahman, Kent, Montana, and Magna were soaked into individual 100 ml of distilled water for 10 days. Five solutions were prepared for each brand, as was detected in all leachate of brands but with different quantities. Results: Arsenic levels were 53.51, 32.78, 55.33, 42.4, and 59.24 μg/l for Kent, Winston, Montana, Bahman, and Magna, respectively. Conclusion: As concentrations were placed in the following order: Winston < Bahman < Kent, Montana, Magna. Based on the present study, cigarette butt plays an important role in environmental pollution and its importance should not be ignored in terms of arsenic potential.

Aims: This survey aimed to investigate the impact of common storage conditions on the migration of phthalate esters (PEs) including di-2-(ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), terephthalic acid (TPA), and phthalic anhydride from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle into the water and to assess the potential human health risk using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Materials and Methods: Three different PET-bottled water brands were stored for 7 and 90 days at three temperatures: 5, 25, and >45°C. PEs were extracted from samples using the solid-phase extraction method with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results: The highest concentrations were found for TPA in samples immediately after purchasing. DEHP and DBP were identified at 90 days in all of the samples. Based on the health risk assessment, the hazard quotient of four compounds in the MCS method was <1; therefore, it should not be considered as a matter of concern. However, excess lifetime cancer risk for DEHP (3.09 × 10⁻⁵) based on the maximum concentration was found to be more than 10⁻⁶. Furthermore, the adverse estrogenic effects of DEHP and DBP appeared to be significant. Conclusion: The probabilistic risk assessment revealed that high estrogen equivalence (DEHP and DBP) seemed to have adverse estrogenic effects on adults. Furthermore, adults were in carcinogenic risk of DEHP. The quality of water bottled in PET may change during the long period, and further research is recommended for the monitoring of phthalates in bottled water to ensure human health.

Aims: This study designed to investigate the concentration of some heavy metals (HM) in the soil of agricultural land of Gonbad-e Kavus in Golestan province and relationship of these metals with esophageal cancer disease. Materials and Methods: For the investigation of pollution, especially HM in the soil, 5 points were randomly selected from each village (3 villages). The samples dried and screened by 200 mesh sieve.Then, the samples were analyzed for HM using ICP/MS. Results: The mean of Cadmium (Cd), Zinc, Cobalt, Chromium, Manganese, Nickel, Arsenic, Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), and Iron (Fe) in soil was 0.5938 ± 1.7, 74.06 ± 18.9, 12.06 ± 1.28, 68.68 ± 5.85, 627.37 ± 53.3, 38.43 ± 4.4, 6.51 ± 1.21, 29.37 ± 4.3, 17.25 ± 3.5, and 27766.06 ± 2200 mg/kg, respectively. Conclusion: The concentration of metals except Cd and iron was less than the global standards. The concentration of some metals in the soil is almost high due to the high consumption of urea, phosphate, and nitrogen fertilizers. Therefore, it is recommended to educate farmers and use less chemical fertilizers.

Aim: Nosocomial infections have become increasingly a major health concern in many hospitals. Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), including Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Legionella have emerged among the most problematic microorganisms in hospital settings, which can cause a variety of nosocomial infections, especially in susceptible individuals. Biofilm formation allows these waterborne agents to persist in hospital water systems for extended periods. Since the transmission is the initial step in disease occurrence, effective prevention of nosocomial infections requires a better knowledge about waterborne bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of presence of GNB in hospital water systems by a rapid and reliable assay. Materials and Methods: A total of 33 water samples were collected from 11 hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran and analyzed for the presence of GNB by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with the application of specific primer sets. Results: From the 11 hospitals surveyed, 91% (10 of 11) were positive for at least one of the types of GNB. GNB were detected in 58% (19 of 33) of water samples. 45% (15 of 33) of samples were positive for legionella. A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa were detected in 18% (6 of 33) of water samples. The mean concentration of heterotrophic bacteria was 36 CFU/ml. Conclusion: Detection of GNB in hospital water systems with a relatively high frequency revealed that hospital water may act as an important route for transmission of nosocomial infections. The results emphasize the importance of rapid microbiological monitoring and the implementation of strict control measures in hospital water systems.

Aims: Urban expansion has caused lots of problems such as air pollution, which endanger the health of residents. In this research, the spatiotemporal trend of atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) of Isfahan was studied and modeled using distributed space–time expectation–maximization (D-STEM) software in 2017. Materials and Methods: This software uses a flexible hierarchical space–time model that can deal with multiple variables and massive loads of missing data. Model estimation is based on the expectation–maximization algorithm. The effects of confounder variables such as holidays, altitude, average temperature and relative humidity, rainfall, wind speed, and direction were considered in the modeling. The hourly measured ambient PM_2.5concentration data were obtained from seven air pollution monitoring stations installed in different zones of Isfahan and operated by the department of environment. Results: The distribution map of the pollutant demonstrated two polluted areas located in southwest and southeast regions of the city that are high traffic and densely populated area. PM_2.5concentration was significantly increased (P < 0.05) with an increase in land elevation by a coefficient of 0.93; conversely, it decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with every increase in wind speed by a coefficient of −0.226. Conclusion: Given the spatiotemporal correlations between air pollutant data, it is necessary to incorporate these correlations into model to obtain more accurate estimates. Using the statistical models and methods to manage the data, time, and volume of calculations in spatiotemporal estimations, the D-STEM program gives more accurate estimates of the desired parameters. Presenting models and maps for every desired time period are another feature of this software that can be useful in health programming and environmental management. Vehicular traffic had a significant effect on the increasing trend of the pollutant level in urban areas; however, the effects of atmospheric phenomena such as dust storms and thermal inversion cannot be ignored.

Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of ambient concentrations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ on the health-related aspects including the total mortality, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and hospital admissions due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran, during 2012–2016 using the AirQ2.2.3 software. The effects of meteorological parameters on the PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ levels were also investigated. Materials and Methods: Meteorological parameters, population, and the pollutant data were obtained from the Department of Environmental Protection, Karaj (Alborz, Iran). Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 24 software to study the relationship between the PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations and the meteorological parameters. Results: Our results showed a direct relationship between the PM₁₀ concentration and the temperature (r = 0.34, P < 0.018) and relative humidity (r = 0.37, P < 0.5). However, there was a negative relationship between the PM₁₀ concentration with wind speed (r < −0.328, P < 0.014) and precipitation (r < −0.179, P < 0.327). Similarly, there was a direct relationship between the PM_2.5 concentration and the temperature (r = 0.41, P < 0.014) and relative humidity (r = 0.37, P < 0.05). On the other hand, a negative relationship was observed between the PM_2.5 concentration with wind speed (r < −0.138, P < 0.010) and precipitation (r < −0.12, P < 0.201). The total number of death, death due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and hospital admissions due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases were equal to 1619, 1096, 306, and 4822, respectively. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the concentrations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ should be reduced through applying the management strategies to improve the health of the residents in Karaj city.

Aim: In developing countries, pesticide poisoning, regardless of occupational exposure or deliberate actions, is one of the major public health problems. To determine the impact of occupational exposure to pesticides on workers' health status, this study evaluated the consequences of pesticide exposure and its effects on hematological indices.Materials and Methods: Eighty workers of pesticide production factories were studied in two experimental and control groups during 2018–2020. Data were collected using demographic, occupational, health questionnaires, and blood analysis. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software (ver. 23), Chi-square, and U Mann–Whitney test considering a significance level of 0.05. Results: The age range of subjects was 23–56 years (mean = 36.21 ± 6.744). A significant difference was observed between studied groups in terms of marital status, education level, and work shift. In addition, levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P = 0.036), white blood cell (WBC) (P = 0.009), uric acid (P = 0.033), and alkaline phosphates (P < 0.001) were significantly different between the two studied groups. The results showed a significant difference between the hematology Index level of toxin production workers and workers in administrative and service units. Conclusion: As expected given the type of their job, a significant difference was observed between studied groups in terms of marital status, education level, and work shift, use of safety equipment, as well as residency. Furthermore, levels of ESR, WBC, uric acid, and alkaline phosphates were significantly different. It seems that pesticide toxins exposure in the poison-production industry causes hematological changes, which may be dangerous in a long time.

Aim: Zayandehrood River is an important drinking water source in Isfahan Province which has been exposed to contamination. The high variation of physical and chemical properties of water is an important factor influencing on the consumers' health and the recipient environment. This study aims to access the health and ecological hazards related to water quality-determining parameters. Materials and Methods: In present work, all the existing data on the physical and chemical quality of Zayandehrood water for two years (March 2013 to March 2015) were collected from Isfahan Province Regional Water Company. The collected data are including dissolved oxygen, turbidity, conductivity, nitrate, phosphate, ammonia, and heavy metals such as arsenic and cadmium. The environmental hazard were determined using the contamination indices such as heavy metal pollution index, positive index, and organic pollution index, and health hazards arising from the absorption of chemical parameters were assessed based on the Environmental Protection Agency model and the use of Rural Access Index. Results: The highest noncarcinogenic hazard due to the absorption of chemical parameters was for the children group, and the ratio of health hazard and the probability of exposure to each of the chemical compounds lies in the permissible limit. The hazard higher than 1 revealing the medium hazard was, however, found in the children age group. Assessment of environmental hazards accordingly shows that the quality of the water environment has low contamination. Conclusion: The contamination of Zayandehrood water with chemical compounds can play an important role in diseases due to the exposure of low-quality water. It is thus advised to properly treat water before drinking it, and in order to decrease the concentration of poisonous chemicals in Zayandehrood Lake water, appropriate actions should be taken to conserve it.

Aim: Welding is one of the most common occupations associated with occupational lung disease and is often associated with respiratory symptoms because inhalation is a common way of exposure with welding fume in welders. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficiency and Total Internal Leakage (TIL) valve fabric respiration protection mask made in Iran against different metals in the welding fume. Methods: To determine the efficiency of the mask, the concentration of pollutants in the air outside the mask and the concentration of pollutants in the air inside the mask were measured simultaneously. NIOSH 7302 method was used to sample the air inside and outside of the masks. The elements Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ti, and Zn in the welding fume were analyzed. Results: The efficiency of the mask against titanium and iron metals is higher than other metals. The average efficiency of the respiratory mask is 75.46% and the TIL rate is 23.42%. Conclusion: The mask absorbs different metals of welding fumes with different efficiencies. Improving the efficiency of the mask body to create a suitable fit that eliminates or minimizes the leakage caused by the seal is a priority.

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of meteorological parameters on particulate matter concentration (PM_2.5) in ambient air of Karaj metropolitan. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 17 sampling points in Karaj city were chosen using GIS software. Sampling of PM_2.5 was carried out for 24 h using the sampling pilot during the four seasons in the air of Karaj city. Sampling of PM_2.5 was performed using PTFE filters, peripheral pump, and personal modular impactor. The concentration of particles collected on the filter was calculated by gravimetric method. Meteorological parameters including temperature, humidity, pressure, cloud coverage rate, ultraviolet (UV), and dew point were recorded during sampling through portable devices. Finally, the relationship between PM_2.5 concentration and meteorological parameters was assessed by SPSS24 and Excel software. Results: Seasonal variation trends of PM_2.5 particles showed that maximum and minimum annual concentrations have happened in autumn and spring seasons with a value of 67.48 and 19.85 μg/m³, respectively. Furthermore, the citizens of Karaj are exposed to PM_2.5 pollutants four times more than the Environmental Protection Agency-recommended standard (10 μg/m³). The findings of this study also show that there is a positive correlation between PM_2.5 particle concentration and temperature, relative humidity, and pressure (P < 0.05). Moreover, a weak and negative correlation was found between UV radiation, cloud cover, and dew point with PM_2.5 particle concentration (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The highest concentrations of particles were observed in autumn season. Furthermore, the particle concentration scatter map shows that the central and eastern regions and north of Karaj are more polluted than other areas. Therefore, to protect the health of citizens of Karaj, appropriate policies and strategies should be adopted to reduce the concentration of particulate matter and other pollutants in the ambient air of this city.